Tag: christian

In Case of Emergency…

emergency-brake-glass

If you have to go to war, you may find yourselves facing an enemy army that is bigger than yours and that has horses and chariots. But don’t be afraid! The LORD your God rescued you from Egypt, and he will help you fight. 

Deut. 20:1

Provision is being made for this inevitability.  As a promise it’s kind like one of those, “Break Glass in Case of Emergency” for the nation of Israel.  It will happen, so this is what you need to do.  There can be no Promised Land without combat.  If we move with God there will be conflict for all who advance.

Provision is also being made for fighting superior numbers.  Not only will you be outnumbered but you will be outgunned.  Essentially, they were facing chariots, the modern tank of ancient battles.  But, even in the light of this, “don’t be afraid!”  This fear will immobilize you.  Fear is also highly contagious, and spreads through ranks of men.

It is hard to see an ancient battle through the eyes of a warrior.  It must have been a frightening experience to pass through.  The mud, sweat, the noise and the thirst are all working on you, and additionally it’s one of those “kill or be killed” scenarios.  If you don’t kill the man fighting you, he will kill you. And he will.

In our verse we read of an another critical point.  “The Lord rescued you…” This is a reminder what has happened in Israel’s past.  Israel, led by Moses, crossed miraculously the Red Sea.  They were also chased by chariots, and had few weapons and no trained army.  Present day Israel was called to remember that deliverance, and to trust God to do it again.

“The Lord rescued…and the Lord will help you fight”.  We need to remember the past, and then look to the future.  It is also quite helpful to seeing God as presently involved in our lives.  As Christians, our experiences mirror the covenant people of Israel.  We are to draw on these lessons and drive back our enemies.  To confidently remember all the times He met us, and to stand and meet the foe.

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.”

Isa. 54:17

ybic, Bryan

God Have Mercy

“David said to Gad, ‘I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.’”

2 Samuel 24:14, NIV

Life unfolds on us, and it should cause us to turn directly at Him.  It won’t take us to long to grasp the incredible beauty that is now ours.  We understand very little, apart from our connection with Him.  Our relationship is vital, and we turn and receive all that He gives.

At moments like these, I gravitate toward mercy.  I don’t know why, I just do.  Mercy is a wonderful characteristic to have.  We reach through the armholes and tie it on.  It’s like a ‘life preserver’ for strugglers.  We fit into it like a glove. Only when we receive mercy, can we become merciful. And when you are merciful, everyone knows.

Mercy makes us step out into a new direction, and we begin to accumulate a fresh sense of being.  We turn into the wind, and prepare to launch, like the old Navy carriers.  We are ‘shot’ into heaven, with very little regard to what we will do, when we get there.   Catapulted into sky, we quickly learn how to make it work.

But mercy is also a treat.  It carries a deep sense of joy and grace.  When we drive it home we make it understandable, and many will gravitate toward that.  Mercy comes and penetrates our fog.  Mercy communicates a solid grace.  It brings us securely home, like nothing else can.

David has put confidence into the mercy of God.  Given a choice between the mercy of God and the dealings of man, he quickly chooses God.  David, is familiar with the wickedness of men.  He has seen it all first-hand.  But the great mercy of God excels beyond David’s desire.  ‘Let it be God, and I will take everything that He gives’.

Mercy insists that we take her seriously.  Kindness is a reasonably  ‘substantial’ grace.  But when we show Mercy, it is a great step in spiritual warfare.  When mercy shines out, it destroys strongholds completely.  Being merciful is an exceptional gift–when we show it, we’ll penetrate an entrenched evil and terrible darkness.

&

ybic, Bryan

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Reformation is Coming

The door that began it all

Today is known in many churches as Reformation Day. On October 31, 1517, we remind ourselves of the amazing reformation that came as young Martin Luther made his way up the steps of the church of Wittenberg to nail a list of 95 theses speaking of the objections he and others were having with the Roman Catholic Church. (BTW, the doors were used as community ‘bulletin boards.’)

The RCC at the time was dealing with bad doctrine and even worse policies. There were many voices of dissent on many issues, and perhaps the most difficult was the issue of indulgences. Essentially, they were being sold to many who wanted to be forgiven. This generated revenue for the pope’s treasury.

Thesis 86, which asks: “Why does the pope, whose wealth today is greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build the basilica of St. Peter with the money of poor believers rather than with his own money?”

Wikipedia says “Luther objected to a saying attributed to Johann Tetzel that “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory [also attested as ‘into heaven’] springs.”

Luther insisted that, since forgiveness was God’s alone to grant, those who claimed that indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation were in error. Christians, he said, must not slacken in following Christ on account of such false assurances.”

Below are some of Luther’s quotes, which are worth your time in reading. These are taken from Crossquotes.org, a site I set up to pass on some significant words to this generation of Christian believers.
Luther’s Seal

Martin Luther– Top 15 Quotes

Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying.

In our sad condition our only consolation is the expectancy of another life.

Faith is permitting ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see.

A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject of all, subject to all.

I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.

The first thing I ask is that people should not make use of my name, and should not call themselves Lutherans but Christians. What is Luther? The teaching is not mine. Nor was I crucified for anyone. How did I, poor stinking bag of maggots that I am, come to the point where people call the children of Christ by my evil name?

Be a sinner and sin strongly, but more strongly have faith and rejoice in Christ.

To do so no more is the truest repentance.

Faith is a living and unshakable confidence, a belief in the grace of God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake.

So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: “I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!”

I would not give one moment of heaven for all the joy and riches of the world, even if it lasted for thousands and thousands of years.

Is it not wonderful news to believe that salvation lies outside ourselves?

My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.

If you young fellows were wise, the devil couldn’t do anything to you, but since you aren’t wise, you need us who are old.

Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want.

from Crossquotes.org

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ybic, Bryan

The King Concept

“Power and peace will be in his kingdom
       and will continue to grow forever.
    He will rule as king on David’s throne
       and over David’s kingdom.
    He will make it strong
       by ruling with justice and goodness
       from now on and forever.
    The Lord All-Powerful will do this
       because of his strong love for his people.”

Isaiah 9:7, NCV

Things are now finally falling into place.  Jesus brings with Him a very definite sense of the Kingdom.  Darkness has been tricked.  It has been totally overcome by His presence.  The twin attributes of power and of peace are penetrating everything they touch.  We will no longer have to put up with deception and sin.

This intervention will continue, forever.  All I can do, is witness to its power.  Nothing phases it.  It continues to advance without melodramatics or manipulation.  He fully intends to sit on the throne of David; it is His by right and by deed.  Because, after all, He is the true King.

He is not just a token king, or a king in idea or theory.  He does rule, fully and completely.  He fortifies the kingdom and brings an intentional awareness to His subjects of true love and peace.  The concepts of justice and goodness, which have never really been considered, are released into the lives of the people.

There is a pervasive sense that this will continue and endure.  The King and the kingdom has come  (and there isn’t a thing we can do about it.)  This is not a ‘flash in the pan’.  It has the idea of eternity stamped all over it.  What He is doing is eternal.  It is not temporary or fleeting.  What He is doing is nothing more than revolution in the spiritual realm.

Our verse in Isaiah 9, speaks resoundly about ‘love’.  It is His love that pushes through all this turmoil and confusion.  He loves us to the extent of dying in our place.  Love is what energizes Him, it causes Him to look for us.  Love are the ‘rails’ He moves on, to come to us.  When He finally locates us, He purchases us with His own money off of the slave block.  No questions and no demands.

Because He is all-powerful, He cannot be limited to the status of a ‘quasi-God’. His complete strength allows Him the option of doing whatever He chooses.  There are voices, scattered and strained, that have the audacity to claim that they really rule.  But if we think about, we discover that this is nothing more then a spiritual comedy being played out.

As we think about Isaiah, and his prophetic awareness, we are brought to an understanding that absolutely ‘rocks’ our world.  Jesus flips it all on its head, and the weakest become the strongest. He alone is our hope.  And He has done it all.

&

ybic, Bryan

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